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To help them comply with new transportation requirements and continue to provide extracurricular activities, the Dalhousie Rotary Club has made donations to the town’s two high schools.

At a dinner meeting last week, cheques for $10,000 were given to Janet Cooper, principal, Dalhousie Regional High School and Chantal Berthelotte, principal of Ecole aux Quatre Vents. Although both schools face challenges, their situations are very different.

AQV, for instance, already has a bus. Berthelotte explained that while the school already owns a bus, it needs a considerable amount of repairs to meet regulations. She said that there can't be any rust and that they even have to have the seats re-upholstered — that's 25 seats at about $200 each. As well, insurance rates have quadrupled to about $6,000. She said that, since the economy of the region is "going downhill" it is more difficult to ask the community for help.

Dalhousie Regional High School plans to buy a new vehicle. They have been renting seven- or 15- passenger vans, but can't use those any more. As well, it's more difficult to rent vehicles, as there is only one rental business left in Campbellton.

Cooper said that, like many schools on the North Shore, they had received a donation of $50,000 from Xtrada, the company which operates the Belledune smelter.

Cooper said that previously they had received support from Bowater and Olin, but both those operations closed this year. She said that their goal is to raise $90,000 for a new bus, but if that becomes unrealistic, they will obtain a 20-passenger vehicle.

Following an accident near Bathurst last year, the province has introduced new regulations, which ban the use of 15-passenger vans. As well, there are rules about maintenance and the use of snow tires.

Cooper said that she hopes to be able to show the Rotarians their new vehicle later in the school year.

While the Department of Education and the school districts have new rules about vehicles for transporting students to extracurricular events, the districts do not provide funding for these vehicles or their use. This means that schools must find other ways to fund team trips or activities.